A 1.2-pJ/bit 16-Gb/s 60-GHz OOK Transmitter in 65-nm CMOS for Wireless Network-On-Chip

This paper presents a high-efficiency 60-GHz on-off keying (OOK) transmitter (TX) designed for wireless network-on-chip applications. Aiming at an intra-chip communication distance of 20 mm, the TX consists of a drive amplifier (DA), a high-speed OOK modulator, and a transformer-coupled voltage-controlled oscillator. For high efficiency, a common-source topology with a drain-to-gate neutralization technique is chosen for the DA. A detailed mathematical design methodology is derived for the neutralization technique. The bulk-driven OOK modulator employs a novel dual feedthrough cancellation technique, resulting in a 30-dB on-off ratio. Fabricated in a 65-nm bulk CMOS process, the TX consumes only 19 mW from a 1-V supply, and occupies an active area of 0.077 mm². A maximum modulation data rate of 16 Gb/s with 0.75-dBm output power is demonstrated through measurements, which translates to a bit-energy efficiency of 1.2 pJ/bit.